I didn’t want her to see me fumble around with the spices she effortlessly wielded. She had been making these dishes her whole life, learning at the side of her Amma. This was my second attempt at making the fancy chicken roast and fragrant pulau, Bengali staples. My friend says they are her comfort food. […]
I Want to Keep Our Glasses Full
by on January 8, 2020 Leave a Comment
One of the most memorable dinner parties I attended while in college in Paris was a gathering hosted by a British couple who had lived in the city for years. I knew them from church, though the guest list was curated by a close friend of mine. Because they lived in a neighborhood I didn’t […]
How Remembering Reorients Us
by on November 21, 2018 4 Comments
The first year I moved to the U.S., my parents and I wandered through the grocery store on Thanksgiving day and asked the man working behind the deli counter if we could buy a turkey. The man pointed to the sliced turkey meat on the side. My parents clarified, “We are looking for the whole […]
Beatitude for the Privileged
by on July 17, 2017 8 Comments
“Blessed are you when you give a feast and invite those who cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” —Luke 14:14 In Luke 14, we find Jesus dining at the house of a well-connected man, a ruler who kept company with the influential and affluent Pharisees. Jesus tells […]
Our Meal of Resistance
by on April 17, 2017 7 Comments
I first met Debra at our Arizona senator’s office. Our paths crossed again at an ACLU Resistance Training. This time Debra came with her partner, Candy, and shared that for decades, they’ve been organizing to secure their rights and were willing to join with us to continue the work on behalf of others. Truth be […]
